Magnetic pile stabbing apparatus and method



D. N. MORRIS 3,387,460

MAGNETIC FILE STABBING APPARATUS AND METHOD June 11, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1966 .Dorofy A. Marx/J IVVE VTOR ATTORNE Y June 11, 1968 D. N. MORRIS 3,387,460

I MAGNETIC FILE STABBING APPARATUS AND METHOD .fla ra ffiy 44 Ma/r/J LVVENTOR 7 x: I In 72 l' B) M A9 I Q v ATTORNEY United States Patent 0 3,387,46t) MAGNETEC PlLE STAiiBlNG APPARATUS AND METHOD Dorothy N. Morris, 1110 Stephanie, Lafayette, La. 70501 Filed May 20, 1966, Ser. No. 551,688 13 Claims. (Cl. 61--53.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus and method for adding a magnetic responsive add-on pile section to a guide pile. In one embodiment of the invention, an electromagnet is utilized to attract and hold the pile section in a generally vertical position over the guide pile such that by lowering the pile section it is guided into the upper end of the guide pile. The invention is particularly useful in offshore installations where the driving of piling is subjected to effect of heavy seas which cause the pile section to be swung rather violently, particularly if the support for the pile section is a crane supported on a movable floating platform.

This invention relates to a magnetic pile stabbing apparatus and method. More particularly, this invention relates to a magnetic pile guide for adding an add-on pile section to a jacket guide or to a pile being driven. and the method of performing such an add-on operation. The apparatus and method of this invention has particular utility in stabbing a metal add-on section into the upper end of a tubular pile jacket guide when the add-on section is supported in a vertical position over the upper end of the jacket guide. For purposes of convenience, the term guide pile may be used to refer to either a jacket guide or a pile being driven.

During pile driving operations it is often necessary to add an additional section to the piling which section may sometimes hereinafter be referred to as an add-on pile section to thereby drive the leading or lower end of the pile to greater depth. Quite often this piling may be of the tubular type wherein a pile jacket guide in tubular form is supported in a general perpendicular position and through which the add-on sections of piling are forced downwardly therethrough. This type of piling is in particular use in otfshire installations or marine installations where the pile driving operation is carried out such that either wave action, wind action or a combination of the two may act upon the add-on section as it is being aligned over the upper end of the guide pile. This wave or wind action makes it difficult to properly align the add-on section in a perpendicular position over the upper end of the guide pile. Hence, operations are often suspended during times of adverse weather conditions.

Heretofore, the add-on section has usually been suspended such that its long axis is perpendicular over the jacket guide. However, the crane means which are used to lower the add-on section into engagement with the guide pile do not provide sufficient stability so that proper alignment can be made when adverse weather conditions prevail as noted above.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for carrying out this stabbing operation.

Briefly stated, the apparatus for carrying out this invention includes support means extending above the upper end of the guide pile. In addition, guide means are connected to these support means for partially encircling the addon pile section supported adjacent thereto. Magnetic means are provided and connected to the support means and adapted to subject the add-on pile section to magnetic force when the add-on section is supported adjacent thereto, whereby the add-on section is drawn to and maintained in a steady position in the guide means and perpendicularly aligned over the upper end of the guide pile. Thereafter, the add-on section may be lowered by conventional means, with the add-on section being guided by the apparatus of this invention and while being subjected to the magnetic force created by the magnetic means.

Briefly stated, the method of the invention comprises the steps of supporting the add-on pile section in a generally vertical position over the top end of the guide pile. Thereafter the add-on pile section is subjected to a magnetic force to thereby stabilize and align the pile section generally perpendicularly over the guide pile. Then the add-on pile section is lowered into engagement with the guide pile while said pile section is subjected to the magnetic force.

Reference to the drawings will further explain the invention wherein like numerals refer to like parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of one form of the apparatus of this invention being used in connection with a marine pile driving operation.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation view showing one embodiment of the invention herein.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 2, generally showing the arrangement of the lower guide and related elements.

FiG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view generally taken at line 4-4- of FIG. 2 showing the arrangement of the upper guide.

FIG. 5 is an alternate arrangement of a portion of the apparatus for carrying out the invention and is directed to a separate guide means which may be mounted over the upper end of the guide pile.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a support means in the form of a drilling platform or barge 11 is shown having mounted thereon boom 12 which is supported by guy line 13 attached to the upper end, with the lower end of line 13 being secured by anchor means 14 to the rearward end of barge 11.

Add-on pile section 18 is shown being supported generally vertically over guide pile 19 by load line 21 connected to its upper end and passing over a sheave in the upper end of boom 12 and connected to power means located in operator housing 22 mounted on barge 11. The magnetic stabbing guide apparatus of this invention is generally shown by numeral 20.

In the embodiments shown, guide pile 19 may be a metal tubular jacket guide and add-on pile section 18 may be a metal tubular pile section of somewhat smaller diameter than guide pile 19, so as to pass downwardly there through. As shown in FIG. 1, guide pile 19 extends vertically above water line 23, as is typical in offshore or marine operations.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the support means of this invention may conveniently take the form of guide mast 28 which is secured in a fixed relationship to guide pile 19 as by means of wrap-around clamp 29 frictionally secured to guide pile 19 by operation of clamp bolt 39 which is connected to the ends of wraparound clamp 29 to thereby take up slack therein.

Guide mast 28 has connected thereto upper guide 33 and lower guide 34. Upper guide 33 is comprised of a generally semicircular top guide member 38 having a pair of longitudinal slots 39 therein, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. Lower guide 34 includes a generally semicircular lower guide member 42 which is generally free traveling vertically with respect to mast 28 and is supported by a pair of suspension coil springs 43, the upper ends of which may be attached to the lower side of guide member 38 or to a portion of the upper end of mast 28.

Referring now to FIG. 3, lower guide member 42 is connected to mast 28 by a pair of studs 45 which are welded or otherwise secured to the back side thereof and each of which support a guide wheel 46 which is adapted to run in a guide channel 47 provided on each side of mast 28 and which run vertically up and down mast 28.

Guide member 42 has connected thereto magnetic means in the form of electrically insulated electromagnet 50 which is connected by conductors 51 to an appropriate ower source such as a regular generator or portable welding machine mounted on barge 11. Electromagnet 50 is of sufficient size and has sufficicnt power applied thereto to exert a pulling force on section 18 when supported adjacent thereto suflicient to hold the piling.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the details of upper guide 33 will be explained. It is similarly comprised of a generally semicircular guide member 38 having a pair of slots 39 therein, best shown in FIG. 2. Slots 3 are adapted to receive centering means in the form of a pair of centering arms 56 which are generally arcuate in shape and pivotally connected at their rearward ends to guide member 38 by arm pins 57. Each of the arms 56 has secured to the rearward side thereof, as by welding or otherwise, rigid arm rod 53 which passes through a slot 39 and connects by a hinge pin 59 to a piston rod 6% which is connected to a two-way piston mounted in a hydraulic cylinder 61. The rearward ends of cylinders 61 have hinge pin 62 passing therethrough and through stud es which is connected, as by welding or otherwise, to the rearward side of guide member 38 By application of hydraulic fluid to cylinders 61, piston rods on may be made to move inwardly or outwardly to thereby pivotally move centering arms 56 to and from engagement with piling add-on section 18. Thus, it may be stated that the centering means is connected to the support means.

It is to be understood that hydraulic fluid is supplied to cylinders 61 by appropriate hydraulic lines leading to a control panel located on barge 11. Hence, the apparatus of this invention can be operated from a safe position on barge 11 and in good view of both the operator of boom 12 as weli as in view of the stabbing apparatus of this invention.

In operation of the apparatus of this invention, mast 23 is mounted on guide pile 19 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The operator of boom 12 would thereafter lift add-on pile section 18 to the vertical position shown in FIG. 1 whereby the lower end of section 18 would be supported adjacent upper guide 33 and lower guide 34. Thereafter electrical energy is applied to electromagnet 51) with sufficient force to create a magnetic field such that magnetic force is applied to the lower end of section 18, thereby drawing section 18 into engagement with the surface of electromagnet 50.

Thereafter, pressurized fluid is applied to the rearward ends of hydraulic cylinders 61 to thereby pivot centering arms 56 radially inward and into engagement with the sides of section 18, such that section 18 is perpendicularly aligned or centered over the upper end of guide pile 19. Thereafter, add-0n pile section 18 may be lowered by letting out on load line 21 such that the lower end of section 18 is guided into the upper end of guide pile 19. During this lowering operation, electromagnet 549 will continue to exert magnetic force on section 18 and be rigidly attached thereto by magnetic force. Hence, magnet 50 is drawn downwardly with section 18 as it is lowered. Guide member E2. to which magnet 50 is attached travels downwardly therewith, thereby extending suspension springs 43.

Once the stabbing is completed, then power can be terminated to electromagnet 50 and springs 43 will return guide member 42. and magnet Bil to the upward position for another stabbing operation.

There is provided a method and apparatus for carrying out a stabbing operation during the driving of piling which operation might not otherwise be possible because of adverse weather conditions including, rough seas, high winds or the like.

While guide members 38 and 42 have been described as being generally semicircular in shape and as partially encircling" section 18, it is to be understood that they could take other forms as for example V-shaped, arcuate shaped, or even straight members, but they may still be described as partially encircling add-on sections 18 (i.e., extending generally adjacent to a portion of the circumference of pile section 18) and thereby provide proper guide means. Centering arms 56 may sometimes herein be referred to as centering means. In certain embodiments of this invention, the centering means may include only one such arm. Nevertheless, the purpose of the centering means is to move the pile-section to the appropriate perpendicular position over guide pile 19.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an alternate embodiment for the lower portion of the apparatus is shown. In this instance there is provided a generally funnel shaped guide 65 which is attached to the upper end of guide pile 19 and is comprised of top section 66, middle section 67 and lower section 68 which are connected together as by dowel pins as and side strap 73.

Lower section 68 is connected to collar 76 which generally encircles the upper end of guide pile 19. Guide mast 28 can thereafter be supported or frictionally secured to guide pile 19 by means of wrap-around clamp 71 which is similar to wrap-around clamp 29 shown in FIG. 2. Wrap-around clamp 71 is frictionally secured to collar 70 and hence to guide pile 19 by means of clamp bolts 72 which correspond with clamp bolts 39 shown in FIG. 2.

Hence, the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 provides additional means by which the lower end of guide pile 18 may be guided into the upper end of guide pile 19. This embodiment may be particularly useful when the outside diameter of pile section 18 is very close to the same size as the inside diameter of guide pile 19. When this embodiment is being used, it is preferable to use a rounded stabbing point on the lower end of the add-on pile, rather than the spear shaped stabbing point shown in FIG. 1.

The term magnetic responsive add-on pile section generally refers to any add-on pile section which is subject to a magnetic field, as for example, an iron piling, or a piling which is made magnetic responsive as by covering with a layer of such metal.

Further modifications may be made in the invention as described without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is to be construed as illustratively only and is not to be construed as a limitation upon the invention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic pile guide for adding a magnetic responsive add-on pile section to a guide pile, the combination comprising:

support means extending above the upper end of said guide pile for supporting guide means for guiding said pile section;

guide means connected to said support means for partially at least encircling said [add-on pile section supported adjacent said guide means and guiding said pile section into said guide pile when said pile section is lowered relative thereto;

an electromagnet operably connected to said support means and adapted to subject said add-on pile section to magnetic force when said section is supported adjacent said guide means, to thereby stabilize and align said pile section generally vertically over a said guide pile;

and means for supporting said add-on pile section adjacent said guide means and for lowering said pile section into said guide pile while said pile section is guided by said guide means.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said guide means includes centering means operably connected to said suppont means and adapted to center said add-on pile section generally perpendicul-arly over said guide pile.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said guide means includes a generally funnel shaped guide housing attached to the top end of said guide pile and adapted to receive thereinto and guide said add-on section to .the top of said guide pile.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said support means includes a mast, the lower end of which is secured to the upper end of said guide pile.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said guide means includes upper and lower guide members operably connected to said support means.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim it wherein:

said guide means includes an upper guide member connected to said support means,

and :a lower guide member connected to said support means and adapted for vertical movement therewith;

and wherein said electromagnet is connected to said lower guide member for vertical movement therewith.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein:

said guide means includes centering means operably connected to said support means and adapted to center said add-on pile section in a perpendicular position over said guide pile.

8. A magnetic pile guide for stabbing a metal add-on section into a tubular guide pile when said section is supported in a vertical position adjacent thereto, the combination comprising:

a mast extending above the upper end of said guide pile in 'a fixed relationship therewith;

guide means for at least partially encircling said addcn section supported adjacent thereto including,

an upper guide member connected to said mast, and a lower guide member connected to said mast and adapted for vertical movement therewith; an electromagnet connected to said lower guide memher for vertical movement therewith and adapted to subject said add-on pile section to magnetic force; centering means operably connected to said support means and adapted to center said add-on pile section perpendicularly over said guide pile; and means for supporting said add-on pile section adjacent said guide means and for lowering said pile section into said guide pile while said pile section s being guided by said guide means.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein:

said centering means includes at least one centering arm adapted to engage and move said add-on section to said perpendicular position over said guide pile.

lit. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

said lower guide member is resiliently supported on said mast, whereby said lower guide member is adapted to move vertically downward on said mast While said magnet is subjecting said add-on pile section to said magnetic force.

11. The method of adding a magnetic responsive addon pile section to a guide pile comprising the steps of:

supporting said pile section in :a generally vertical position over the top end of said guide pile;

subjecting said pile section to a magnetic force to thereby stabilize and align said pile section perpendicularly over said guide pile;

and lowering said pile section into engagement with said guide pile while said pile section is subjected to said magnetic force. 12. The method of stabbing a metal add-on pile section into the upper end of a tubular guide pile comprising the steps of:

supporting said pile section in a generally vertical position generally over the top end of said guide pile;

subjecting said pile section to a magnetic force to thereby stabilize and align said pile section perpendicularly over said guide pile;

and lowering said pile section into the upper end of said guide pile while said pile section is subjected to said magnetic force.

13. The method of adding a magnetic responsive addon pile section to a guide pile, said method comprising, in combination, the steps of:

supporting said pile section in a generally vertical position over the top end of said guide pile;

subjecting said pile section to a magnetic force to thereby stabilize and align said pile section generally vertically over said guide pile;

and lowering said pile section into engagement with said guide pile while maintaining said pile section in said stabilized and generally vertically aligned condition with respect to said guide pile.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,105,550 10/1963 Ehlert 166-65 JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner. 

